Eat, Pray Love

In Eat Pray Love, Julia Roberts plays Liz Gilbert, a woman who travels around the world for a year to find herself, having realising that the life she had been living was not the one she had planned. Her emotional and spiritual breakdown is convincingly played by Roberts. In reality Liz Gilbert was an accomplished journalist and published author, living what many would consider to be an enviable life in New York. I did wonder how sympathetic I would be towards the main character’s crisis, particularly when played by somebody as beautiful and successful as Julia Roberts. To her immense credit, I was convinced by her portrayal of Liz’s inner turmoil, although I’m not sure that I totally warmed towards the film character. Maybe this was because her personality had become fractured and fragile as a result of her depression and summoning up the energy to simply function was all she could muster.

Eat Pray Love is charming and inspiring. The performances are great and the cinematography is lovely. The fact that Liz is now a practicing yoga teacher and is living the life she wants to lead is great. I enjoyed following her on her journey to find balance and peace. Namaste.

2 October 2010 One to one session, Private yoga session, Relax, Reviews, Travel, Wellbeing, Yoga at work, Yoga classes, Yoga for runners, Yoga in schools, Yoga in the Park, Yoga in the workplace, yoga spirituality, Wellbeing, yoga No Comments

Yoga in the Park to celebrate longest day

New York went yoga crazy for a second day running as thousands of practitioners gathered on Central Park’s Great Lawn.

Under the guidance of acclaimed yogi Elena Brower, the masses assembled for a calming session under the open skies.

Jennifer Lobo, from organisers Times Square Alliance, said it was an amazing sight as peace descended on one of the busiest places on the planet.

She said: ‘If you could create tranquility in the most crazy, high energy place in the world that is a really great oxymoron, or a great opposite.

‘New York City is known for being a city that never sleeps. With all the city noise other imaginable source of noise, it is often hard to find a quiet corner anywhere outdoors.

‘New York yogis are some of the best in the world because they can bring that eternal peace to their practice and disregard anything going on outside, noise or whatever it is.’ commented Jennifer.

It’s great to see that Yoga outdoors is spreading across the globe. Yoga Wellbeing Yoga in the Park classes are only going to keep on growing. If you would like to know more about Yoga in the Park classes then just click here.

6 July 2010 Fitness, Wellbeing, Yoga in the Park, health, yoga Relax, Wellbeing, yoga, Yoga in the Park No Comments

Yoga for stress relief

It seems that lots of people in recovery from stress related diseases take to yoga. For some, it may be because yoga is a form of exercise that doesn’t seem like exercise. It can be passed off as meditation. But, lots of us stay with yoga. Yoga demands surrender which I think we all crave.

There is structure in the poses, but the ultimate goal is freedom. That’s the challenge surrendering to the poses, not doing them better than everyone else. When I started yoga I was consious of what everyone around me. I wanted to be just as flexible as them. Often, I practice alone so there is nobody on the next mat. It’s about me and where I’m at with my body on that particular day.

I still fall in balancing poses, and I usually laugh when I do. I’m more forgiving of my body and myself even if your a teacher everyday is a learning experience. I feel I am more good-humored because of yoga. It’s different everyday. You may set out with a specific goal in mind, but it can change along the way. Much like life itself.

4 July 2010 Wellbeing, Yoga at work, Yoga in the Park, Yoga in the workplace, yoga Wellbeing, yoga, yoga class No Comments

Yoga in the Park

Exercise is always more fun when it’s done outdoors: there’s no comparison between slogging away on a gym treadmill “running to nowhere”, and going for a jog on a fine summer day in your local park.

Yoga Wellbeing Park classes are about people getting outside regardless of the weather. YogaWellbeing is open to all men and women. Through my experience yoga can be perceived as a woman’s thing, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. It’s fantastic for overall fitness. Most professional sports people, men and women, are incorporating yoga into their routines.

Our classess are set up in a quiet, shaded corner in the park, and we spend 60 minutes going through various stretches and positions. Some of the moves are more challenging than others, but each person is instructed to take it at their own pace, relaxing a bit when they need to.

It’s all about getting outdoors and having some fun. A lot of yoga classes can be serious and the Yoga Wellbeing Yoga in the Park classes are about getting outside and enjoying yourself.

There are a myriad of other benefits that seem especially attractive in these stressful times. Yoga is about enjoying the moment and appreciating the now. It helps you to be present, and to forget about everything else, if only for five minutes, or even two minutes, within the class. People always feel better afterwards, they have better posture, and are more relaxed.

Get started

Yoga Wellbeing classes are open to all regardless of their age, experience, or personal level of fitness.

We have had super fit guys coming to our classes, the ones who find it a challenge are the guys who are really muscle-bound, because it makes them more inflexible. A person who mightn’t be that fit will be a bit more flexible because their muscles haven’t tightened up. But they’ll be challenged too because there are strengthening postures as well as ones for flexibility. So regardless of how fit you are you’ll get something out of it.

2 July 2010 Wellbeing, Yoga classes, Yoga in the Park, yoga Wellbeing, yoga, Yoga in the Park, yoga outdoors No Comments

Brockwell Park a place for yoga

What have you gained in Brockwell Park?

Can we really afford to lose any of the large green spaces in the city? There are so many green spaces in London, perhaps more parks than any capital in the world; but every day, gradually and by minute fractions, the process of building over small open spaces. Therefore, the County Council need to try and take care of our green spaces.

Brockwell Lido, can be found in the corner of Brockwell Park. It’s been at the part of the local community since 1937. The Art Deco Grade II listed building has been extended and transformed. The Lido is managed in partnership with Fusion. As a registered charity, Fusion Lifestyle are continually reinvesting to improve and develop what’s on offer in the local community. The update on the pool is that the ice has broken from the surface of the open air pool for the annual winter swim at the Lido on Saturday 19th December 2009. Vast numbers of people attended to see swimmers aged 8 to 80 making their way through the ice. So when you visit the Lido, you’ll be helping to keep one of London’s few remaining open-air pools open for future generations. Click here to learn more about the lido.

Today there is an active Friends of Brockwell Park made up of local users. They are working in partnership with Lambeth Council to protect and enhance this much loved and valued greenspace. Click here to find out a wee bit more.

Laura Watson 21 January 2010 Fitness, Relax, Yoga classes, Yoga in the Park, health yoga, yogainthepark, yogawellbeing No Comments

Here comes the sun!

You would not believe it ladies and gents. The sun was out and I am sure it’s here to stay for Yoga In The Park. It was a lovely evening at Brockwell Park for stretching our bodies and quieting the mind. The sun was just coming down in savasana and the park was full of people relaxing and soaking up every last bit of sun.

Brockwell parks needs more bendy people! Take some time to connect with your breath, increase your flexibility and relax. Whilst absorbing the sun and fresh air. I bring the equipment some mats and blankets (if it gets a bit on the chilly side) So come along and sit under a tree to revitalise your body and mind. We are holding new classes on Saturday and Sunday mornings 9:30 – 10:30am meeting at Herne Hill entrance. No previous experience needed, all ages and levels welcome.

4 September 2009 New classes, Yoga in the Park brockwell park, quieting the mind, savasana, yoga yoga No Comments

Brockwell park here we come!

It was a beautiful night for a spot of Yoga in the Park. We set up beside the circle of trees and got on with perfecting our yogic flying. One of the ladies commented on what a difference closing her eyes and hearing the wind rustle through the trees made to her relaxation pose. This all adds to the experience of doing yoga outdoors.

Since yoga began in India I can’t imagine many yogi’s practiced in shiny studios. They were happy to be outdoors, enjoying nature. We have to be realistic, when it gets a bit chilly we will be retreating indoors to a studio, shiny or not. As we watch the rain droplets roll down the window mid cobra. Until then I am sure you would like to be outdoors enjoying the mini summer in England. So until the sky turns grey join us for a bendy session or two.

7 August 2009 Yoga in the Park circle of trees, hearing the wind, rain droplets, yoga, Yoga classes, yoga community, yoga exercises, Yoga in the Park 1 Comment

Yoga Wellbeing in Regent’s Park

Yes yoga folks the chance to get bendy in Regent’s Park is finally here. I am really excited about seeing everyone enjoying taking part in the very first Yoga in the Park. Whopppee. The weather god is smiling on us because it looks like a lovely English summer’s day out there.

It felt very natural and relaxed to see everyone doing yoga in the park. Everyone slipped into the relaxation pose very easily, I could see all the Monday tension disappear. We had a bit of a canine encounter, Monica was mid Warrior pose when she got her leg licked by a little terrier. I thought of bringing a couple of bonios, the premier dog biscuit, but they will probably come back next week. Everyone had a bit of a chuckle after the laughter stopped we got on with the yoga.

We worked on the legs and arms this week and everyone commented how they felt they had definitely worked some of the muscles they hadn’t used for a while. One of the girl’s commented it should help her to banish her bingo wings, for all of you who not down with the term it means the fat underneath the arms. Watch this space for more tales from the green land.